Lubricant-transferring device



Ap 30, 1929. A. w'uNDERLlH vLUBRICANT TRANSFERRING DEVICE l Filed Aug. 20, 127

IN1/wrok v f ao @fundar/7th ATTORNEYS Y Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH WUNDERLICH, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WAR- REN REFINING AND CHEMICAL COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LUBRICANT-TRAN SEER-RIN G DEVICE.

Application :tiled .August 20, 1927.

As indicated, the present invention relates to a device for transferring lubricant or other similar semi-soli d viseid materials.

It comprises, essentially a base carrying a casing enclosing a gear wheel adapted to be operated by a crank and a shaft carrying a gear in mesh with such gear wheel, said casing l'ieing attached to one branch of a T coupling to theother branch of which is attached a flexible tube enclosing a Worm conveyor attached to the shaft. Rotation of the conveyor is effected by operation of the crank.

A great many machines must be lubricated by heavy grease, and it is desirable that, periodically, this grease shall be completely removed from its casing and replaced by new grease. For instance, in the transmission and differential housings of an automobile, heavy grease is used and unless it is changed at intervals, it becomes very dirty and impregnated with particles of metal, whereby its efficiency as a lubricant is materially lessened. It has been, however, practically impossible to remove this old grease from such casings with known instrumentalities, and it is the object of this invention to provide un inuilement whereby such rease may easily be removed. To the accomp ishment ofthe foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention maybe used.

1n said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional View of my lubricant transferring device, showing the device mounted upon a container to receive the removed grease; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the right hand end of the device as shown in Fig. 1, the cover for the gear Wheel and gear having been removed; Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section of the intake nozzle of my device showing a short section of the flexible tube and of the Worm conveyor; and Fig. 4 is a detail section of a fragmentary portion of the novel worm conveyor used in my device.

Referring to the aboye mentioned drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the base plate Serial No. 214,249.

of my device which is ada ted to be attached to the up er openend of a container 2 by means of olts 3 passing through flanges 4 on the container and entering the bifurcated ears 5 on the base. Wing nuts 6 may be tightened to hold the base plate 1 rigidly in place. The casing 7 comprises a standard 8 attached to the base plate by means of `machine screws 9 and a right angularly extending tubular boss 1() at the upper end thereof. Slightly higher than midway of the length of the standard B, there is provided a boss 11 having an aperture 12 therethrough in which a spindle 13 is engaged. The gear wheel 1i is mounted on said spindle 13 and provided with a polygonal projection 15 upon which is engaged the polygonal socket 17 of the handle or crank 16. A cover 1S is secured to the standard 8 by means of the nmchine screws 19 in such a position as to enclose a gear wheel 14 and gear 21.

Said gear 21 is carried by a shaft 20 mounted in the extension 10, and is held in engaging relation to the gear Wheel 14 by means of a screw mounted in the extension and extending into arg1-cove 22 in the shaft 20.

A T coupling is secured to said extension 10 by means of the screw-threaded connection 27 of one of its branches 25. To the stem of said coupling 26 is attached the outlet tube 28 by means of a screw-threaded connection 29. The coupling member 30 is threadedly attached as at 31 to the other branch 24 of the T coupling` and the flexible tube 32 is in a socket 38 formed in the outer end of the A spindle 20.

The nozzle is closed at its outer end and is provided with a plurality of lateral apertures 39 circumferentially spaced near its end.

The operation of the device is believed to be apparent from the above description, but a snmn'nnfy thereof will be given. The nozzle is inserted in the filling openingl oif a casing from which grease or similar material is to be removed, and the crank lo in rotated to canse the ri'itation o t the Worm 3a through the co-aetion oil the gear wheel li and the gear 2l. As the Worm is rotated, the grease in the casing is drawn in through the apertures 39 and is carried through the tube 32 by the worm Se in the Well known manner. The grease is thus conducted into the chamber formed in the coup lingl T and as more grease is carried up through the tube 32 the grease in the chamber is forced, out through the tube 28 whence it drops throiurh the aperture 40 in the base plate l into the container 2. The nozzle may be moved about inside the casing; in which the grease is contained, thereby reaching all of the Areuse in the easing.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, changije being' made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any ot the following claims or the erniivalent of such stated means be employed.

I tlieretore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. As a new article o manufacture, a ilexible segmental worm conveyor formed. by mounting tubular Worm segments on an elongated, tightly coiled spring, said segments beinfa,r progressively and non-rotatably mounted on said spring.

2. A device of the class described coniprisingr a casing, intake and outlet tubes leading' Atrom said casing, a nozzle at the l'ree end of said intake tube and `lormcd With a closed end and with a plurality oit laterally opening apertures, a Worm conveyor in said intake tube, and means to drive said Worm.

3jr-i device of the class described cornprising an ordinary T coupling, a flexible `intake tube leadingtroin one branch oi' said.

T, a nozzle attached to the free end of said tube. a llexible 'ivinfr-.l conveyor in said tube, an outlet pipe leading from the stem of said T, and means for driving said Worin conneeted to the other branch ot said T.

4. A f levice oi the class described comprising a T coupling, an outlet pipe carried by the stem oi said T, a tlexible intake tube carried by one branch of said T, a nozzle connected to the :tree end of said intake tube, a casing connected to the other branch of said T, a gear Wheel in said casing, an operating crank connected to said gear Wheel, a flexible worm coniieyor in said intake tube and extenffling 'through said T, a shaft attached to the inner end of said conveyor and mounted in said easing, and a gear on said shatt and cti-operating With said gear Wheel.

5. The device recited in claim 4, wherein the flexible Worin conveyor comprises an elongated coiled spring having short Worm segments progressively and non-rotatably mounted thereon.

(5. A device oi the class described comprising a base having an aperture therethrough, biitureated ears diainetrically spaced on said base ilor attaching; said base to a container, a casing mounted on said base and enclosing a zgear wheel, a handle connectedmto said gear wheel, a sharit in said casing, a gear carried by said shaft, a groove in said shaft, a screw mounted in said casing and extending into said groove to hold said `gear in mesh with said gear wheel, a T couplin(Jr having one branch ther-cot screw-threadedly attached to said casing, an outlet tube threaded into the stem ot said T and extendingl to a point adjacent said base apertinfe, a. flexible intake tube threaded into the other branch of said T, a nozzle at the `free end of said intake tube, and a Iiexible screw conveyor in said intake tube and extending through said T and coupled to said shaft.

Signed by nie this 16th day of August,

ADOLPH WUNDERLICH. 

